Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-02-27
THE SHAFTS HAREM.
ROYAL LADIES STRICTLY SECLUDED FROM
PR0FANE EYES.
Peculiar Position Of tie Court Physician-Guardlng
Against Flirtaiicm-SDry Of a Trouble
some WindOw-An Arabian
Nights Dance.
By G. ": Benjamin, Late U. S. Mintstr ID

occupy at the Ark or city palace. This Is
q vast enclosure, entered by a separate
gate. IN the centre of the court is an ele.
CANT garden. The ladies have each their
own apartments in regular order in the
~quadrangular building which, i'll its gene
raj plan, is not unlike barracks, although
of course more ornate and attractive. No
windows open on the stree, but every apart
ment faces the court. Ventilation is gained
not only by the open windows reaching to
the floor, which, in that delightful climate,
are open the greater part Of the year, but
also through shafts leading from the roof
and connected with wind towers called
badgers. These towers form an important
feature of Persian dwellings, and are often
very gracefully shaped. They have apper-
lures opening to the four winds of heaven.
Not only are the wives of the Shah forbid
den to gaze into the street, but neither
must any other ladies OF Teheran enjoy
that privilege. The fiat roofs are surround
ded with high walls: and thus, while one
may enjoy a delightful promenade towards
evening on the roof of the house and con-
template the vast aud lovely landscape,
one can see no n nor he seen.
These restrictions are much more rigOr-
Gus in the case of ladies of rank than of
the lower classes. The latter enjoy much
greater freedom, and, while obliged to keep
the face well concealed when abroad, are
allowed much liberty, "A liberty that there
is no question results in adding to the cor
ruption of morals. If 4 Persian wife an
not have the society of her husband she is
likely to seek the society of other hus-
bands. IntrigueS are arranged by third
parties, generally professionals, usually
old women. The woman being able 10 see
the man while he cannot see her face until
she makes the first advance, such intrigues
usually commence by the woman first Ia
king n fancy TO the man. 1t is compare
lively easy for the lovers to meet after all
is arranged, owing to the disguise worn by
the women, which makes il exceedingly
difficult to distinguish one woman from al
other. and somewhat hazardous even for
a Jealous husband to attempt to penetrate
that disguise.
But when Il lady of rank proposes to go
abroad everything is carefully arranged,
and if she is to visit another lady then the
time Of coming is carefully announced and
every maj on the premises is expected to
take himself out of the way. For Exam
pie, when the wife of the Turkish ambas-
dor desired To visit the United States lega-
ton, all the male servants were required to
keep mi of sight during her visit, and
even the master of the house was bound on
his honor not to appear until she had left
the premises. ! have thought sometimes
that the Persian women must take 4 secret
satisfaction in thus disturbing the peace
and liberty Of the sterner sex which has
laid down such strict laws for them.
The wives OF the Shah are not, however,
without entertainment ut home in spite of
their apparent imprisonment. Many OF
them enjoy embrOidering and are capable
of exquisite skill in the arts of necdlewOrk.
Occasionally 4 lady is found in the Royal
AuderOon who is inclined to intel lcctual
pursuits and interests herself in the study
languages, in composing poetry, painting
practicing on the piano. Pianos, by the
way, although carried over the mountains
with extreme difficulty, are becoming quite
common in Teheran. It our government
had been more alert in protecting our inter
estS in Persia and advancing cur commerce
there. doubtless American pianos would
have found their way to that distant land
before this. Not untrequently these ladies
give entertainments, to which the wives
of most of the high dignitaries are invited
and one may judge from hercSay that these
occasions possess many features Of a rO-
mantle character. The afternoon is always
the time selected.
The sod under the paviliOns or the trees
isspread with carpets embroidered by hand;
the air is cooled by the spray of fountains
tossing silver streams in every quarter OF
the shaded terraces. Amid these fairy
like scenes hundreds Of ladies move slightly
clad, the costume resembling that of 4 bal
let dancer without the tights and stock
ings. On which occasion 4 white Cymar
of embroidered goSSamer is thrown over
head, giving almost an ETHEREAL effect the
flesh tints underneath. Music on the cyther
songs and dancing girls add to the attrac-
tiOns of the dieting hours, and abundant
refreshments, including unstinted cOnfec-
tionery, appeal to what some call the groS-
ser senses. The Kalian, with its aromatic
fumes, lends a finishing touch to n scene
which suggests the vo%luptuOus episodes ol
the Arabian Nights.
But one form of diversion is forbidden
these royal ladies; | refer to their inter-
views with the court physicians. Next 10
the sacred luxury of a confidential talk
with 4 father cOnlesSor or Il favored. pastor,
there is scarce any SOlace which possesses
such attractions for the average woman as
a sympathetic recital of her troubles and
ailments to n trusted family physician.
But neither one nor the other is allowed to
see the wives of the Shah. No priest nor
doctor can receive from them the soothing
confession of sorrows and sins OF the mar
ratiye OF aches and pains.
OF course if she is i'll then a wife of the
Shah receives medical attention. But the
physician may not obtain even n sight OF
her face. Behind Il curtain, surrounded
by her attendants, she responds to his ques-
tons; in extreme need she may show her
tongue but no other part of her features.
Nor is the interview altogether attractive
to the physician, especially If lie be q ma
tive, for he must necessarily he extremely
guarded in his language, and ifthc patient
dies it may 90 hard with the doctor. lie
does not venture to prepare or furnish the
drugs himself, and the medicines he pre-
scribes must be compounded by servants OF
the palace to ensure against danger of poi
soning as well as to protect the practitioner
from suspicion. The European physicians
praeticing ut the couTt of the Shah eXer-
cises somewhat greater liberty i'll the mat
ter of drugs and prescriptions, but even
the matter of drugs and prescriptions, but
even they are Obliged to proceed with great
caution, and never attemptany serious sur
gical operations when the patient is u Mus
sleman. In the matter of windows allud-
ed to above, / am reminded of a case grow
ing out OF the laws and customs regulating
that question which gave me more trouble
than another with which | had 10 deal
while at Teheran.
The missionaries had built a chapel on
their own grounds, hut adjoining the es-
tate of the Emir Sultaneh, a powerful
courtier, who had been endeayoring topper
suade them to sell the mission premises TO
him. As no price could be agreed upon
4 - lls--I =. Ill nn1 Ia thap antaral